Where'd You Get Those Genes?

Lesson #408 Where’d You Get Those Genes? Grades 5-7 Authors Beth Brookhart Pam Schallock Editor Pamela Emery 2300 River Plaza Drive Sacramento, CA 95833 916-561-5625 • 800-700-2482 E-Mail: [email protected] • Web Site: www.cfaitc.org California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom Vision: An appreciation of agriculture by all. Mission: To increase awareness and understanding of agriculture among California’s educators and students. All or part of this educational unit may be reproduced for teacher and student classroom use. Permission for reproductions for other purposes must be obtained from the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom. 2nd Edition September 2001 Table of Contents Acknowledgements .................................................................... 2 Getting Started Introduction .................................................................... 3 Unit Overview ................................................................ 4 Lessons Junior’s Family Tree ........................................................ 7 Rock, Paper, Scissors .....................................................21 Peanut Butter Broccoli ....................................................27 The Geniacs ...................................................................32 Catch Up on Tomato Technology ....................................42 Teacher Resources Background Information on Biotechnology ......................57 Teacher Resources and References .................................63 Related Web Sites ..........................................................65 Related Literature ...........................................................67 Content Standard Details ................................................69 Glossary .........................................................................78 www.cfaitc.org 1 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Acknowledgements Authors The California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom is dedicated to fostering a greater public knowledge of the agricultural industry. The Beth Brookhart Foundation works with K-12 teachers, community leaders, media Pam Schallock representatives, and government executives to enhance education using agricultural examples. It offers school children the knowledge to make informed choices. Editor This unit was funded in 1996 by Calgene Incorporated and the California Farm Bureau Federation. To meet the needs of California Pamela Emery educators, Where’d You Get Those Genes? was revised to support the Curriculum Content Standards for California Public Schools. Funding from the California Farm Bureau Federation and private donations was Illustrators used to make this revision possible. Karin Bakotich The Foundation would like to thank the people who helped create, write, Pat Houk revise, and edit this unit. Their comments and recommendations Sherri Hughes contributed significantly to the development of this unit. However, their participation does not necessarily imply endorsement of all statements in the document. Layout & Design Curriculum Advisory & Review Committee Nina Danner Carol Bastiani Jean Kennedy Pam Schallock Joanne Borovoy Judith Kjelstrom, Ph.D. Wynette Sills Beth Brookhart Jean Landeen Roger Sitkin Lucas Calpouzos, Ph.D. Florence Martin Barbara Soots Judy Culbertson Dona Mast Nancy Stevens Jerry Delsol Martina McGloughlin KarenBeth Traiger Richard Engel Craig McNamara Denise Van Horn Marni Engh Donna Mitten John Vogt David Hammond Robyn Moore Gil Walker Carolyn Hayworth Jan Oaks Mary Yale Karen Holtman Jeffery O’Neal Sarah Yourd Catherine Houck, Ph.D. Charles Rivara Andy Kennedy Bruce Rominger www.cfaitc.org 2 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Introduction The Science Framework for California Public Schools emphasizes the need to make science education more meaningful to students so they can apply what they learn in the classroom to their daily lives. Since all students eat food and wear clothing, one natural connection between science and the real world is agriculture. Advances in agricultural technology are continually making headlines and are an excellent way for educators to connect current trends and issues in science to the lives of every student. Agriculture is an important industry in the United States, especially in California. As more rural areas become urbanized and more challenges exist to maintain and improve the quality of the planet and feed the people of the world, it is extremely important to educate students about their environment, agriculture, and the current technologies and research that continue to make Earth a viable planet. Where’d You Get Those Genes?, a fifth through seventh grade unit, introduces students to the world of agriculture and how the study of genetics and related technologies is used in the industry. Students work independently and collaboratively with classmates to learn more about heredity and biotechnology. Each lesson stands alone and can be used at different times throughout the year, or the unit can be used in its entirety as a common thread to teach the core curriculum. Junior’s Family Tree can be taught at the beginning of the year when students are getting to know one another. This lesson is a good springboard for discussing family traits and heritage. The lesson Rock, Paper, Scissors has a statistical application and can be used as a math- science lesson that requires prediction and problem-solving skills. An art lesson about poster-making can be used to also teach about persuasive advertising in Peanut Butter Broccoli, while The Geniacs lesson can teach about biographies before the students write their own biographies or autobiographies. Finally, Catch Up on Tomato Technology has students perform research and practice public speaking. What the future holds for agriculture will determine This unit teaches or reinforces specific subject matter Content the quality of life for all . Standards for California Public Schools. The standards which may apply to each lesson are listed by grade level, subject matter, and • farmers and ranchers number on the sidebars of each lesson. A content standard matrix for • suppliers the entire unit, with specific standards described, is located on pages • food processors 69-77. Where’d You Get Those Genes? is one of many educational • wholesalers units provided by the California Foundation for Agriculture in the • retailers Classroom. • consumers! www.cfaitc.org 3 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Unit Overview Unit Length Brief Description Approximately 15 The students participate in a variety of lessons that examine the basic forty-minute sessions principles of heredity, as well as learn some specifics about genetics and how they are incorporated into today’s agricultural industry. After Objectives reading an interview with a horse breeder, students will understand that certain traits are carried from one generation to the next. The Rock, The students will: Paper, Scissors activity helps students understand that some traits are dominant and others are recessive. Students are then asked to create a ! Read an interview with a new produce item by combining existing traits with desirable traits. By horse breeder. reading biographies of scientists who have contributed to the study of genetics and biotechnology, students gain a better understanding of the ! Identify and record the history of genetic research. Finally, using tomatoes as an example, known traits of a horse’s students learn how technological advances have affected tomato family tree. production. ! Play a game and collect Curriculum Content Standards for data regarding outcomes. California Public Schools ! Create an imaginary plant A concerted effort to improve student achievement in all academic using the genetic concepts areas has impacted education throughout California. The California of dominant and recessive. Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom provides educators with numerous resource materials and lessons that can be used to teach and ! Compare similarities and reinforce the Curriculum Content Standards for California Public differences in traits. Schools. The lessons encourage students to think for themselves, ask questions, and learn problem-solving skills while learning the specific ! Create visual content needed to better understand the world in which they live. representations of data. This unit, Where’d You Get Those Genes?, includes lessons that can ! Develop an advertisement be used to teach or reinforce many of the educational content for an imaginary produce standards covered in grades five through seven. It can be used as a item. self-contained unit, each lesson can be incorporated into the curriculum at appropriate times, or can provide technical information in the areas ! Read biographies and of genetics and agriculture. gather key information. The specific subject matter content standards covered in the lessons ! Become familiar with the are listed on the sidebars of each lesson. A matrix chart showing how history of tomato the entire unit is aligned with the Curriculum Content Standards for production. California Public Schools can be found on pages 69-77. ! Practice oral presentation skills. www.cfaitc.org 4 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom • 2001 Unit Overview Key Vocabulary Evaluation agriculture This unit incorporates numerous activities and questions that can be biography used as evaluation tools, many of which can be included in student biotechnology

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